Wa Ale Island Resort, Barefoot Luxury on a Private Island in the Mergui Archipelago

Starting price: from 800 USD/night (all inclusive)

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Christopher Kingsley

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Your Host and The Team

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“Wa Ale Island Resort is everything that is right in the world, the way exotic resorts should be built, and luxurious wilderness explorations taken. We are proud that sustainability drives every single business and operating decision, that it is woven into the very fabric of who we are and what we offer. Every guest who stays at Wa Ale Resort shares this ethos and is contributing to a new movement in responsible and purposeful travel, and to our conservation and community-based projects too. We are also proud that Wa Ale now sets the benchmark for how Myanmar will approach the future eco-tourism development of their myriad places of unspoiled natural beauty. ”

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Chris Kingsley – Visionary behind Myanmar’s pioneering eco-luxury island sanctuary

When Chris Kingsley and his wife Farina discovered the untouched beauty of the Myeik Archipelago in Myanmar, they saw an opportunity to create more than just a luxury resort. They envisioned a sustainable retreat that would give back to the land and its people. Thus, Wa Ale was born—a sanctuary where conservation and community support go hand in hand.
Through the Lampi Foundation, which receives 20% of the resort’s net profits, the Kingsleys have made an indelible mark on the region. Their foundation funds marine and wildlife conservation efforts, supports local education, and ensures that Lampi Island Marine National Park remains a protected haven for generations to come.
Wa Ale is more than a resort—it is a movement dedicated to preserving Myanmar’s natural wonders while offering guests an unparalleled experience of remote island luxury. Guests can snorkel in thriving coral reefs, kayak through mangroves, and witness the conservation efforts firsthand. The Kingsleys' vision extends beyond hospitality; they are committed to making a lasting impact on the region’s environment and local communities, ensuring that their legacy remains long after the waves have washed away travelers' footprints in the sand.

Wa Ale Resort an Idyllic Eco-Chic Boutique Hotel with a Heart

Environmental sensitivity is a core principle of Wa Ale Resort. On planning the resort, the owners, Christopher and Farina Kingsley, planned a series of community based and conservation projects to ensure the impact of the Wa Ale Resort would always be a positive one with the environment and the local community. These projects were pulled together to form the Lampi Foundation. Wa Ale island was leased from Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry who actively support the Wa Ale Resort team’s community support and conservation initiatives.

It is hoped that Wa Ale’s development of eco-tourism on the island and in the area will contribute to the continued support of the local communities and conservation of the environment and the wildlife. And to date the Lampi Foundation has contributed greatly to the protection of the wildlife and the environment around Wa Ale island. They have created a turtle hatchery as both a protected and safe place for Green Sea Turtles and Leatherback Turtles to nest, and to collect important data on the turtles which can help plan projects and initiatives to better protect the sea turtles in the future. They have also set up a project to protect and conserve the region’s coral reefs. Wa Ale Resort’s foundation has provided patrol boats to Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry. And for the local community, they have established projects that provide medical support and education for the local communities. These principles have shaped the Wa Ale Resort into the stunning boutique hotel that it is today, and a hotel that sets only a soft footprint in the golden sands of Wa Ale Island.

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“Wa Ale Island Resort should be the dictionary definition of Eco-Chic. This boutique beach resort set on a picture-perfect private island adrift in the warm turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea has perfected the art of pairing low impact sustainable business practices with a chic and rustic-lux guest experience, bar none. Beautiful tented villas, a gorgeous mix of canvas and reclaimed timber and polished wooden floors, set beachside with uninterrupted sea views, and wooden treetop villas set on stilts placing the accommodation in the canopy, share shady and luxurious tree-house living with guests. Authentic is an oft used adjective in travel, but these guys truly are, Wa Ale has a soul, and it knows how to provide boutique hospitality and leave only footprints in the sand.”

Kim, the discoverer.

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Sea Views or Views from the Trees, What to Expect in a Stay at Wa Ale Resort

The Wa Ale Resort was built with sustainability and environmental protection of Wa Ale’s beautiful part of the archipelago at the forefront of all the plans. But at no point has this compromised the luxury of the stay experience, if anything it, it has enhanced it. The resort’s buildings were all built from reclaimed timber by local joiners and artisans. Wooden frames, windows and window shutters from old buildings in Myanmar were upcycled to decorate the luxury tents and the treetop villas. The furniture at Wa Ale Resort has all been designed by the resort’s owners. Earth tones and natural palettes help the buildings to blend in beautifully with their natural and unspoiled surroundings.
The 11 Tented Beach Villas have all been positioned on Turtle Beach and share uninterrupted sea views with guests. These ‘tents’ raise the bar on glamping, with polished wood floors, king-size wooden canopy beds, comfy lounge spaces, en-suite bathrooms with outdoor showers, and a large beachfront sun-deck.
The 3 Treetop Villas are set on stilts positioning them within the forest canopy and looking out towards the sea. Polished wood floors, 4-poster king size beds, en-suite bathrooms with outdoor showers and a terrace facing the sea.
And all of the resort’s buildings have been carefully placed to avoid the need to cut down any trees on the island. Wa Ale is very much off the beaten path, and all the better for it. Stays here share a stunningly beautiful land and seascape with guests, pristine for its ‘off the mass-travel radar’ location. Go snorkeling or diving to discover the rich variety of marine life on the reefs around Wa Ale – Wa Ale Resort has a PADI dive centre. Take a hike through the forest with the resident naturalist and learn all about the flora, fauna and birdlife of these Mergui islands. Go kayaking through the mangrove forests, or island hoping to meet and share with the locals in the fishing villages on neighbouring islands. These and many more discoveries await, and all will open your eyes to the good work and positive impact the Wa Ale resort has had on the region, and how your money spent is contributing to the protection of the environment and supporting the local communities.